BLUEBELL RAILWAY

Bluebell Railway runs vintage steam trains between Sheffield Park and East Grinstead. Enjoy a journey through the Sussex countryside travelling behind one of these lovingly restored locomotives.

Only 40 minutes by car

Welcome to St Bartholomew’s Church

This Grade I listed Victorian Church is famous for its Art Nouveau furnishing. St Bartholomew’s is part of the Church of England and is rooted in the AngloCatholic tradition, which emphasises the importance of beauty and reverence in worship, particularly in the Mass (the Eucharist).

Open for services and:

Monday - Friday: 10am - 1pm Saturday: 10am - 4pm

Times when Mass is celebrated can be found on our website.

Ann Street, Brighton BN1 4GP www.stbartholomewsbrighton.org.uk can ride on a mini locomotive that’s one-eighth the size of the real thing. There’s also a five-acre lake, a maze and an adventure playground – or you can just eat cake in the prize-winning tea gardens.

Knockhatch Adventure Park in Hailsham has loads of fun things to do, including a boating lake, waterslide, go karts, crazy golf, mini-quads and a climbing wall.

Charleston was the country home of Vanessa Bell (sister of Virginia Woolf) and Duncan Grant, part of an influential crowd of intellectuals, artists and writers known as the Bloomsbury Group. Vanessa and Duncan used the house as a blank canvas, painting the walls, doors and furniture to create a unique decorative style.

Historic Galleries

In addition to the house and artists’ garden, there’s an exhibition gallery showing a mix of contemporary and historical art, a Crafts Council-selected shop selling art and books, and a café.

Virginia Woolf’s house is just a 20-minute drive away, in Rodmell. Monk’s House is a 16th-century weatherboarded cottage, where the writer lived with her husband, the political activist, journalist and editor Leonard Woolf. The National Trust now operates the building as a writers’ house museum – but be warned, it closes during the winter.

There are several other National Trust properties in East Sussex. Bateman’s in Burwash is the former home of

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Rudyard Kipling, while Lamb House in Rye was once home to writer Henry James.

Sheffield Park and Garden is where the heritage Bluebell Railway starts, before chugging its way to East Grinstead, via Horsted Keynes and Kingscote, through stunning woodland and countryside. Sheffield Park station also has a shop, model railway, museum and a fantastic collection of locomotives and carriages to explore.

Bodiam Castle, near Robertsbridge, is another family favourite – a 14th-century moated castle offering great views from the top, as well as storytelling, trails and crafts.

For a real slice of ancient history, you have to visit the site of one of the most famous battles in England – the 1066 Battle of Hastings. The award-winning exhibition in Battle brings alive the dramatic story of the Norman Conquest and its significance in the tumultuous history of England. If you’re visiting in October, make sure you don’t miss the annual re-enactment of the famous battle.

Just down the road, in Hastings, you can visit the beautiful ruins of Hastings Castle, which was the first castle in England to be built by William the Conqueror. Built during the Norman Conquest of Britain, the castle was depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry

Breathtaking Views

Even if castles aren’t your thing, it’s worth a visit, as the views from the top over Hastings and beyond are breathtaking. There are also great views from the top of West Hill, which has Britain’s steepest funicular railway.

You can go from Hastings’ highest views to the depths of the Earth with Smugglers Adventure – a museum built into underground caverns. Make your way through the dark corridors once used by smugglers, with only a torch to guide your way, while learning about the people who made their money on the black market.

Step back in time at the 1,000-year-old Lewes Castle, which is in the centre of Lewes town. Climb to the top for panoramic views, and, on the way up, don some AngloSaxon costumes from the dressing up box. In the gardens below, there are traditional games, trails, quizzes and other activities. Next door, in the Barbican House Museum, you can learn more about the history of the area through interactive and static displays.

Pull on some sturdy shoes and soak up the views as you wander the green hills, forests and chalk cliffs. Or make the most of the seaside and get active in or on the water. Whatever you’re into the great East Sussex outdoors delivers adventures aplenty!

There are some spectacular views along the South Downs Way, which stretches for 100 miles from Eastbourne to Winchester. Make a start at the

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